


How to Ace Your Coming Out

by Frog_that_writes



Series: Queer Bad Kids (dimension 20) [5]
Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: Aromantic Riz gukgak, Coming Out, Kristen being a good friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23505292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frog_that_writes/pseuds/Frog_that_writes
Summary: Riz finally decides it's time to come out. Luckily, Kristen is pretty good at this sort of thing.
Relationships: Kristen Applebees & Riz Gukgak
Series: Queer Bad Kids (dimension 20) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1603384
Comments: 6
Kudos: 81





	How to Ace Your Coming Out

It was mostly accident the two had ended up alone together, honestly. Kristen had invited Riz over to the manor thinking everyone else would be there as well, having overheard something about Ayda and Gorgug. As it had turned out though, the greatest wizard of their age and Ayda were simply working out together at the gym, and Fig and Zelda had gone to drool over them. Adaine was at therapy, something that had completely slipped Kristen's memory, and Fabian and Aelwyn were doing whatever weird toxic-healing friends with benefits bullshit they did at Seacastor Manor. With Ragh and Tracker still punching sense into the elven worshippers of Galicia in Fallinal, that left the two of them. 

But it wasn't hard for them to spend time together, and they were sitting in her room chatting and doing pointless shit like the dumb teens they were, mostly. Riz had a can of monster the size of his arm in one hand and a bag of pretzels in his lap, and Kristen was shoveling Doritos into her mouth at lightning speed. A completely inaccurate episode of Law and Order: SVU was playing, though they were both largely ignoring it, and they were having fun.

But throughout the gossiping about relationships and arguments over the best snacks, Riz was preoccupied. He was mulling over something he had been thinking about for weeks, or more accurately months, or maybe basically his entire life. He tried to push it out of the way when he was with his friends, because even if he was slowly coming to terms with it and realizing that it was  _ okay  _ there was always nervousness that surrounded nearly every aspect of his life. It wasn’t that he necessarily thought his friends would judge him, but why give them the chance to in the first place? Besides, it’s not like it was a big deal. It was just a general aspect of himself, not something it was really necessary for everyone to know.

But talking to Kristen made it so easy to want to be himself. There was this intense pride about her that always caught him off guard, somehow. She was never afraid of loudly announcing her sexuality to anyone who would listen, and while Riz definitely didn’t want to be quite that forward, there was a line between being private and being unnecessarily secretive, he was learning. It wasn’t that he felt pressured to come out, exactly, but it would be  _ nice  _ to be able to talk to his friends.

Maybe not all of them, though. Maybe he could just start with one.

"Kristen you know a lot about gay stuff right?" 

The girl in front of him let out a world-weary sigh, snapping off her crystal from where she had been reading a message from… someone, and throwing it on the bed beside her. She focused her full attention on Riz before speaking.

"I know  _ so  _ much about gay stuff, my child, now tell me what ails you."

"Gross," Riz stuck his tongue out. "Talk like a person."

"Alas, I cannot," she sighed again and threw herself back on her bed. "For I am a saint, for all its blessings and curses."

"Using incorrect grammar doesn't make you sound fancy, you just sound like a dick," Riz laughed. “You’re channeling some major Fabian energy.” Kristen sat up with an affronted gasp. 

"How dare you!" She attempted to remain serious before breaking off into laughter as well. "Okay, okay, seriously though," she stared at Riz. "What's up?"

“So you know how I made up that fake boyfriend last summer, and then he became a real manifestation of nightmares and deception?”

“Oh, you mean  _ Baron,”  _ Kristen grimaced. “Yeah, I remember him, go on.”

“Well, obviously I made him up, but I don’t think I ever told you guys why I lied about him.”

“We just assumed you wanted to seem cool in front of Fabian,” she confessed with a shrug. “We basically all knew right away, to be honest.”

“Wow, you’re really radiating support right now,” Riz said flatly. Kristen perked up immediately.

“Oo, support? So this is a serious conversation? Do you have a crush!” She gasped in excitement.

“What? No-”

“Who is it? You can tell me. Is it Ragh? Oh my god Riz, I can’t believe you have a crush on Ragh!”

“I do not have a crush on Ragh!” He nearly shouted. Jawbone was probably so confused.

“Who do you like then?” Kristen asked, confused. “We were all totally joking about you and Fabian, holy shit. Dude, he’s like, got that whole thing with Adaine’s sister, that’s  _ so  _ awkward. “

“It’s not Fabian,” Riz sighed. 

“Gorgug’s got a girlfriend, and he doesn’t really seem like your type. Is it someone we don’t know? You better not tell Fig, her shovel talk has been known to kill lesser men.”

“What?” Riz screeched. “Fig didn’t tell us she killed anyone lately!”

“Don’t worry about it,” she waved. “Just tell me what boy you like!”

“I don’t have a crush on any guy! My problem is more of the exact opposite.”

“You like a girl? Then why did you ask me about gay stuff?”   
“I do not like anyone,” Riz said slowly, looking at the cleric head-on in hopes that she would finally absorb his words. In retrospect, maybe he should have started with Adaine. She was literally the only other sane party member. But then again, she was a terrible gossip, so maybe not.

“Oh. What’s up then?”

"I'm  _ really  _ not into anyone."

"Ohh," Kristen said, drawing the word out. "So you're…"

"Aromantic, yeah."

"That's awesome dude!" She punched his arm enthusiastically, ignoring his mostly fake "ow"s. 

"I wouldn't call it that, but yeah. I've never said it out loud before. I'm aromantic." He was smiling. 

"You should join the GSA!" Kristen said. "I've been doing most of the heavy lifting since Ragh left 'cause Fig isn't really into the structure of it, but you love that shit, right?" Riz felt panic, irrational though it may be, well up inside him.

"Um, I don't know," he rubbed the back of his neck. "A lot of people say aromatic and asexual people aren't even really part of the community anyways.”

“I’ll kill them for you,” Kristen said abruptly. 

“Don’t do that,” Riz laughed, a touch nervously. “It’s fine.”

“Seriously, if anyone tries to make you feel unwelcome, I’ll shove my staff up their ass.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Hey,” Kristen said with sudden softness. “If you’re not ready for all that, that’s totally fine. You can come as an ally, or not at all if you want.”

“I want to be able to talk about it but I don’t think I’m quite there yet,” Riz said apologetically. 

“Totally understandable,” she reassured. “I don’t want to force you.”

“I- I think I’d be fine helping out, but only as long as I can just tell everyone I’m an ally for now. And if you could not mention this to the rest of the group-”

“Of course, I won’t say anything until you tell me it’s okay too.”

“Thanks, Kristen.” Riz gave her a lopsided grin. “I’m glad I told you.”

“I’m glad you told me to,” she smiled. “Now, pass the  _ good  _ Doritos, please.”

“Oh, you mean the nacho?”

“I mean the cool ranch and  _ you know it _ !”

The petty argument that ensued wiped the last of the anxiety from Riz, and he was left smiling long after they moved on. 

Later, there would be time for more coming out moments, and more dread for every time he would have to offer up a piece of himself to someone, but for now, he could just bask in the fact that he had finally done it.

And it felt good to finally be able to be himself, even if it was only to one person. 


End file.
